Fifth-wheel.



No. 797,818. PATENTED AUG. 22, 1905. W. T. MUCREARY.

FIFTH WHEEL.

APPLIGATION FILED MAR. 17, 1905.

I max mall em munzw. u. mum" ca; vuam-umuamwusm wnsumamn, u. c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM T. MCOREARY, OF W'ELLSBURG, WVEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO HENRY E. GASMIRE, OF WELLSBURG, WVEST VIRGINIA, AND JOSIAH S. LOMASK, OF VVHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA.

FIFTH-WHEEL,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 22, 1905.

Application filed March 1'7, 1905. $eria11l0. 250,584.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that LWILLIAM T. MGOREARY,

a citizen of the United States of America, and

a resident of Wellsburg, county of Brooke, and State of West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fifth- Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in fifth-wheels, and more particularly to a device for locking the front gearing of wagons with relation to the hind gearing thereof; and it consists in the particular construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, which will hereinafter be fully described.

The object of my invention is to provide a device for interlocking the front and hind gearings of wagons in any desired position in relation to each other.

As is well known, considerable trouble is encountered in backing wagons into narrow places-such as alleys, gateways, &c.on account of the tendency of the front wheels to turn out of line with the rear wheels. Much trouble is also experienced in keeping said gearings at a uniform angle when backing into a narrow place at an angle. Also when traveling on a downgrade in icy weather the hind part of the wagon frequently slides sidewise with a tendency to pass the front part. By my invention these objections are obviated, since the front and rear wheels or the front and rear parts of the gearing may be secured in fixed position with relation to each other. Further, by rendering the front and hind gearings of a wagon stationary with relation to each other I make it possible to draw the wagon from car'tracks without the usual difliculty. Furthermore, when the front gearing of a wagon equipped with my invention is turned at a right angle to the hind gearing, as is usual when wagons are backed up to a curb, the said gearings may be interlocked, rendering it impossible for the horses attached thereto to turn out into the street, also rendering it almost impossible for the horses to run away, since to do so the wagon must be bodily dragged.

In describing the invention in detail reference is herein had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation of the front end of a wagon, showing my invention applied there- Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the lower circle-plate of the fifth-wheel, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the dog for engaging said circle-plate.

Referring to said drawings,in which like reference-numerals designate like partsthroughout the several views, 1 indicates the front end of a wagon, having cross beams or bolsters 2 thereunder which rest upon an upper circleplate 3, said parts being of an ordinary construction. Mounted upon the top of the front axle or upon a cross-beam 4, which rests upon springs 5, is a lower circle-plate 6, having a plain upper face 7, on which said upper plate is adapted to move, as ordinarily. Said plate 6 is provided with an integral beveled extension 8, on the beveled face of which are provided teeth 9, adapted to be engaged by the toothed face 10 of a dog 11, which is pivoted at 12 to a bar 13 or other suitably-located portion of the wagon-gearing. A link 14 is pivotally attached at one end to the shank 15 of said dog 11 at a point in the rear of the pivot 12, as shown. The upper end of said link is pivotally attached to the lower end of a bar or lever 16, which is pivoted between its ends at a suitable point 17 Suitably mounted in a convenient position to be engaged by a flange provided on one side or face of the upper end of said lever 16 is a rack-bar 18, having teeth 19. A weight 20 is provided on the extreme rear end of the shank 15 of said dog to normally hold the teeth 21 of said dog out of engagement with the teeth 9 of said lower circle-plate.

As is obvious, when it is desired to firmly hold the front gearing of the wagon in a fixed position with relation to the hind gearing the lever 16 is forced forward along the rack-bar 18 to substantially the position illustrated in full lines in Fig. 1. This action lifts the rear end of the shank 15 of the dog 11 upward, thus causing the toothed face of said dog to drop into engagement with the toothed circleplate 6, when said lower circle-plate will be firmly locked and all turning movement thereof prevented. The side flange of said lever 16 being brought into engagement with the teeth of the rack-bar, the parts are securely interlocked until it is released.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a device of the character described, the combination with a wagon having a suitablylocated upper circle-plate of a fifth-wheel, of a suitably-mounted lower circle-plate having a plain face on which said upper circle-plate is adapted to turn, an integral beveled annular extension carried by said lower circle-plate, teeth on the beveled face of said circle-plate, a pivoted dog adapted to be dropped into engagement with said teeth, and means for operating said dog, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the characterdescribed, a fifth-Wheel composed of upper and lower circle-plates, the lower circle-plate provided with an integral beveled annular extension, teeth on the beveled face of said extension, a dog pivotally mounted for interlocking engagement with said teeth, means for normally WILLIAM T. MOOREARY Witnesses:

JOSIAH S. LoMooK, H. E. DUNLAP. 

